Pictures of Indian deities won't be featured on firecracker wrappers

Virudhunagar: Based on directives issued by district authorities, labels with pictures of deities will no longer be used to wrap crackers. The order was issued following claims made by various Hindu outfits that the discarded pictures ‘hurt’ the sentiments of people. District Revenue Officer had recently issued a circular to Tamil Nadu Fire Cracker Manufacturers Association (TNFCMA).

District Collector V Rajaraman said Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) state unit made a request to ban the use of labels with pictures of deities. Various Hindu outfits, including ABHM had earlier urged the authorities to enforce the ban, as these wrappers were reportedly torn into pieces and thrown on roads. People walk on them and finally these are dumped in waste bins, which they claimed was an act of ‘sacrilege’.

G Abiruben, TNFCMA president, told media persons that the industry would strictly follow the instructions of the authorities and would not hurt the sentiments of any person. He maintained that wrappers with pictures of deities were being used since 1924.